Rescue Desk

We’ve all heard it. The dreaded “R” word. The only thing the experts can’t agree on, though, is if we’re facing a recession, in the middle of a recession or, in some cases, on the tail-end of a recession. Either way, businesses are walking a fine line between cutting costs and working to make strides toward growth.

That’s where the virtual assistance industry seems to be stepping up to the plate.

I’ve run across a host of articles, reports and white papers highlighting the utilization of virtual professionals during the current economic climate. Solo operations to large corporations are turning to outsourcing some of their business processes to offset costs while still maintaining their paths to growth.

• Recession-proof your small business with a Virtual Assistant
• A Virtual Solution for Business Growth, Stability and Profitability (PDF White Paper)
• Recession on the Horizon? Fight back with Virtual Assistance
• Recession Proof Small Businesses: What Does Recession Mean for Small Businesses

These are just a few of the resources I ran across, but are certainly worth a read if you’ve got a few minutes. Given that small- and micro-businesses make up a huge part of the economic landscape, you don’t have to look far to run across news sites and business blogs that relate to how organizations are buckling down no matter what their size or their industry.

Resources, tips and tricks litter cyberspace, so it’s worth a little time to do a little digging. It won’t take long to find ideas, industry-specific solutions, or get to thinking outside the box to not only maintain your business, but continue to grow.

Part of my job as a virtual assistant is marketing my business, my experience, and my services. But, the other part of my job is education.

When I tell people I am a virtual assistant, I sometimes find myself on the receiving end of a confused – albeit interested – stare. They think they’ve heard of virtual assistants, but they’ve never actually met one and aren’t exactly sure what it means.  It’s certainly understandable, given that the VA industry is young enough to not quite be mainstream, but old enough that it’s solidified its place and will be around for the long haul.

When I’m asked what I do, I explain that I am an “executive assistant for hire”  helping my clients with just about anything they’d ask a professional executive assistant to do … except I do it from my own fully-loaded, fully-stocked office instead of theirs.

It’s pretty easy to show the value-adds of a Virtual Assistant compared to an on-site/on-staff executive assistant:

On-site employee:

• Cost of wages, taxes, benefits, space, equipment, unproductive time.
• Little flexibility in schedule or hours worked.
• Hiring/firing process time-consuming, costly and requires high-level of commitment.
• Professional development and training  is expensive in time and money.
• Employees depend solely on the employer to provide experience and resources.

Virtual Assistant:

• VAs are independent contractors, so clients only pay for time on task.
• Flexible and accommodating to meet clients’ needs and business hours.
• Clients can find specific VA skill sets to meet needs
• VAs are already experienced and highly efficient, and their practices depend on client satisfaction.
• VAs continuously gain experience, skills and grow their resources thanks to working for several clients and gaining exposure that comes with small-business ownership.

I ran across a white paper written by an industry colleague, who has a successful practice and whose byline can be found on several industry articles. She outlined the cost in dollars and developed a work production scenario comparing the cost of having an on-site employee, a temp agency placement and a Virtual Assistant:

On staff employee:

• Minimum Hours per day: 8
• Actual number of productive hours per day: 6
• Hourly rate: $50
• Daily cost: $400

Temporary staff:

• Minimum Hours per day: 6
• Actual number of productive hours per day: 3
• Hourly rate: $50
• Daily cost: $300

Virtual Assistant:

• Minimum Hours per day: 3
• Actual number of productive hours per day: 3
• Hourly rate: $50
• Daily cost: $150

It’s fairly easy to see how working with a virtual assistant is a cost-effective solution. Is it right for everyone? Of course not. But when you look at the cost and the value-adds, it is undeniabily a viable option for businesses to get the professional support they need.

When you narrow it down, there isn’t much of a difference between what a Virtual Assistant can do and what an on-site professional assistant can do (with the exception of shooting the breeze around the water cooler).  About the only differences you’ll find between a VA and executive (or administrative) assistant is a VA’s area of expertise and the fact that a VA is a small-business owner her/himself. But, again, that is a value-add to having a VA … you can work with someone who has exactly the skills, experience and technology you need, and whose success depends on providing a valuable business service to you.

I discovered virtual assistance while doing some career research late last summer.  When I read the term and skimmed the article, the heavens opened up and a light shone down. OK, maybe it wasn’t THAT dramatic. But a light bulb certainly flicked on overhead, and I giddily thought “That’s it!”

I imagine this happens to most people when they reach a clearing in the career jungle. These are the people who work hard and, when prompted, dutifully download the skills needed for career upgrades. But, these folks also know – deep down – that what they’re doing day in and day out simply “isn’t quite it.” So, they always have one eye on the daily task list, and one eye secretly focused off to the side, keeping tabs on the exciting things might be catching up. Maybe it’s a hobby that’s turning into a passion, or excelling at a new skill or trade, or daydreaming about owning a small business one day.

Whatever it is, the hope is that their day job will merge with those off-to-the-side pursuits. That’s the moment they hit the clearing and, with any luck, say “That’s it!”

When I reached my clearing, I looked straight ahead, but decided the path just left of center was the one for me.  I knew it was a risk (straight ahead is almost always the safest), but the entrance was well-lit and I had faith it was the right direction.
 
So, when I made the decision to channel my years of experience in media, publishing and communications into launching a Virtual Assistant practice, like any good Virgo, I dug into every piece of research and market study I could find. The more I read, the more confident I was that the path-just-left-of-center was exactly where I wanted to head.

I have quite a few manager/coordinator/editor titles on my resume, but never once did “executive assistant” make it on the list.  Naturally, I wondered if there were others like me - people with experience, but never the official title. I was thrilled to find that the backgrounds and experiences of each VA were as different as the people themselves.

Some were MBA-wielding ex-executives. Others were 20-year veterans of the executive support field. A number of them were graphic designers, Web developers or other “techies” who, through the aforementioned career upgrades, also excelled in database management, writing and project management. Quite a few were military spouses with business training out the wazoo, but needed a portable career. And there were just as many who, like me, had a smorgasbord of skills and simply wanted nothing more than to offer their knowledge and expertise to others who would benefit from their experiences.

So, I’m proud to join the ranks of virtual assistants. If the increasing number of industry resources, associations and VA-focused tools are any indication, we’re on the cutting edge of business.